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If you have been to a Husker football or volleyball game, you have more than likely connected with Trevor Nebesniak, Powersports Technology program chair. He plays guitar and sings back-up for the Killigans and their rendition of fan favorite “The Cornhusker” is played at both sporting events to pump up the crowd.

“We talked about writing a fight song for our favorite football team and knew it would be difficult,” Nebesniak said. “My youngest brother Patrick played first trumpet in the marching band and told us about this cool old song and thought we should do something with that. My other brother Chris came up with the catchy mandolin line and melody with our main vocalist Brad Hoffman. We decided to go into the studio in 2014 and recorded it.”

Fast forward to Sept. 1, 2018, for Scott Frost’s first football game as head coach of the Huskers against the Akron Zips. There was a buzz in the air and it’s time for kickoff. Mother Nature had other plans and the game was in an inclement weather delay for 2 hours, 40 minutes because of lightning and heavy rain in the area. The fans that stayed at Memorial Stadium needed to be entertained. Enter the Killigans recording of “The Cornhusker” and a new tradition was formed.

 “I usually hold back happy tears when I hear it being played,” he said. “When I look over at my children smiling and gleaming with pride that their father and uncles created this song that almost everyone in the stadium sings along with is hard to describe. Sadly, our father passed away in 2011 and never experienced this but we know he is out there smiling and singing along.”

The Killigans were founded in 2004 with Nebesniak, his two younger brothers and a childhood friend to create a style of music which would be more appealing to the alternative and downtown music scenes found in most big cities. Two more members were added and their music style consisted of traditional folk, Americana, Celtic and eastern European mixed with punk and rock. They recorded their first album in 2005 and nearly 20 years later have six full length albums in their catalog and fans all over the world thanks to music streaming online.

“It has always been hard to classify us because we don’t claim to be Irish but rather influenced by Irish music,” he explains. “We prefer to be classified as folk-punk because we play folk music with traditional instruments mixed with rock guitar and drums in a punk style.  My family has a strong working-class background so we write songs about those struggles as well.”  

Nebesniak graduated from Southeast Community College in 1991 with a Motorcycle Technology Diploma. He joined the SCC faculty in Powersports Technology in 2012 as an instructor in motorcycle technology. Music brings happiness and is therapeutic for Nebesniak and he sees a correlation with working on or riding a motorcycle.

“I love the motorcycle culture and the music culture,” said Nebesniak. “They both require a specific passion and are both awesome to me. Whether it is rock and roll or country music, dirt bikes or ATVs, they all go together. It helps me release the pressure of everyday life. I am truly blessed to work at such a great place with amazing students and coworkers. I hope to make the world a better place for generations to come.“

Watch: The Cornhusker by the Killigans

‌Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu